


In Passing

by chellerrific



Category: Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: Death, Gen, Rebirth, Siblings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-10-05
Updated: 2011-10-05
Packaged: 2017-10-28 22:27:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 601
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/312854
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chellerrific/pseuds/chellerrific
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Maybe it wasn’t fair, but life never is.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In Passing

**Author's Note:**

> Because I had the idea after reading _Son of Neptune_ and it wouldn’t leave.

When Hazel fell asleep, she dreamed of Asphodel. At first she thought it was another flashback, but something was different.

There was a girl standing beside her, a little younger, but taller too. She had olive skin and long dark hair braided down her back. Hazel was sure she’d never seen her before, but she immediately knew who she was all the same.

“Bianca,” she whispered. “But… you’re gone, aren’t you? Is this just a regular dream?”

Bianca smiled at her, not unkindly. She reached out and took Hazel’s hand. Her own hand felt cold but soft—and definitely real. “You’ve been given a second chance, Hazel. A rare gift. Life is never easy for this family.”

“You could have had a second chance too,” Hazel said. “If you hadn’t gone. It would have been you Nico took back with him. Not me.”

Bianca frowned. “He shouldn’t have done that. Nico has yet to really understand that death is truly the end for no one. It’s a new beginning. I accepted my death long ago. My time as Bianca di Angelo is over. I know that. I hope he learns someday too.”

Hazel felt her heart sink. She knew what Bianca was getting at. “And what about Hazel Levesque?”

“Hazel Levesque has a lot of living left to do.” Bianca’s smile returned, brighter than ever. “I can’t be there for Nico. Maybe I shouldn’t have left him, but I made my choice. I made the choice that was right for me, and that’s all any of us can do. And you’ve made _your_ choice, to go with him. To live again. And you have the chance to do what I couldn’t. That’s why I’m here. I wanted to ask you to watch over him, do what I failed to do. But be careful. You aren’t me. Nico needs to understand that. You are a substitute for no one.”

“Nico doesn’t think I’m a substitute,” Hazel felt obligated to say, even though she knew it wasn’t true. How many times had he called her “Bianca” since they’d met? She’d lost count.

“Help Nico let go of me,” Bianca said gently, not bothering to point out the lie. “I know it’s a lot to ask. Children of Hades, of all people, need to accept death as a part of life. Nico will never be able to move forward as long as he keeps looking back. You can help him learn to stop that.”

“It’s not fair,” Hazel found herself saying. “You should have had a second chance too.”

“No,” Bianca said. “Maybe it wasn’t fair, but life never is. Remember, Hazel. You have your own path to follow. I have mine.”

Hazel’s stomach clenched. “I’m cheating, doing this. Aren’t I?”

“Cheating?” Bianca considered the question seriously. “No. Father has reasons for everything he does. He’s let you stay in the land of the living because that is where your destiny lies. You chose to follow it when you followed Nico back—and there are no right or wrong choices, only the ones we make and the ones we don’t. Don’t look back, Hazel. Look forward.” She leaned forward and gave Hazel a soft kiss on the cheek. “You will return here eventually, as all mortals do. Don’t feel obligated to rush it now that you have that precious second chance. Who knows? Maybe when that time comes, our paths will cross again, but until then, goodbye, my sister.”

When Hazel awoke, there was nothing to indicate whether or not that had really happened—nothing but the ghost of a kiss on her cheek.


End file.
